Maybe the blah blah factor explains why the Melbourne Age is falling further and further behind its rival the Herald Sun. The gap between the two has widened by another 15,000 copies on Saturdays and 23,000 on Sundays.

It's grim news for The Age which, I suppose, is why it didn't have the courage to report the figures*. The Herald Sun did of course, but can take no pride in driving its circulation up with this sort of thing:

At first sight this was a tale so dreadful its hard bitten author confessed to being scared;

‘A frightening 17,000 weapons – including guns, knives, crossbows and metal bars – have been seized in Victoria’s courts in a year.’Herald Sun 18 April 2002

But how frightened should we be when we notice the Herald Sun's weapons include a big safety pin, corkscrew and a Leatherman? Where oh where in this Herald Sun shocker - are the knitting needles of Madame Defarge?

‘Recent incidents include 17 syringes found hidden under a baby in a pram.’Herald Sun 18 April 2002

That wasn't last year but four years ago. And by the way that crossbow wasn't seized last year either: that was a couple of years ago.

‘30 schoolchildren each carrying Swiss army knives into the County Court.’Herald Sun 18 April 2002

Calm down out there! The real story is that 22 well behaved kids on a school excursion were asked to leave their pen knives on the bus. But let's get down to the heavy artillery:

‘Illegal items Siezed. Firearms: 70’Herald Sun 18 April 2002

Now the corridors of our courts are filled with the worst kinds of human beings including lawyers but the police have reassured Media Watch that 69 of those 70 firearms were there in court as evidence. Yes, your honour, 69 examples of ‘Exhibit A’.

When Media Watch gave the Herald Sun's Nick Papps the facts he was stunned:

‘I'm gobsmacked. Just amazed.’Conversation between Nick Papps and Media Watch

It is not good to know even one gun was nabbed on it's way to court last year. But the number of dangerous weapons seized in the Victorian courts was way, way short of the 17,000 claimed by the Herald Sun.

A spokesman for the Victorian Police told Media Watch that in the last 12 months the number of seizures that required further police action was only 36.

We've done our sums and on our calculations, the courts in Victoria are nearly 500 times safer than the Herald Sun claims. Everyone in Melbourne except perhaps the Herald Sun must be delighted.

*Correction: We were wrong. The Age did report on the Audit Bureau of Circulations figures - we just missed it. On page 5 of the April 19 Age the paper pointed to its small increase in Monday to Friday sales and a similar rise for the Sunday Age. It also acknowledged it's reduced circulation on Saturday. It drew no comparisons with the Herald Sun which as we reported enjoyed stronger growth on all days. Publisher and editor-in-chief Greg Hywood told his readers the Age "clearly remains the dominant paper across all days of the week in the AB market, which is so important to advertisers".